NEWS

Borough President James S. Oddo announced plans to add a special tribute at his annual September 11th Memorial Ceremony at a press conference on July 22. The video tribute will honor the lives of those we lost by highlighting their families since that day. BP Oddo has asked those who lost loved ones in the attack to send his office photos and descriptions of recent family events for inclusion in the video. “When the towers fell it may have seemed as if time stood still, but in reality, of course, it did not. Life went on, our children and grandchildren continued to grow, there were weddings, births, graduations; all of the events that those we lost should have been there to celebrate. Those we lost that awful day live on through each of the special moments, in the lives of loved ones they so tragically left behind,” noted BP Oddo. “This year, as an addendum to our Staten Island 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at Postcards, we would like to include the good news families have had in the time since their loved ones passed. Those we lost that awful day live on through each of the special moments in the lives of loved ones they so tragically left behind. Let us celebrate all of these events as a community. In addition to the memorial ceremony we hold so dear, let’s set aside some time to hear about those milestones that make us smile and make our hearts glad.”He praised his predecessor James Molinaro’s graceful handling of the 9/11 memorial each year, and hopes to continue to honor the victims of that tragic day, as well as their families. Drawing on his own experience of losing his father just months before his wedding last fall, the Borough President explained his wish to show that those lost on September 11 live on in the achievements and milestones of their family members. “I could hear my Dad that day,” he said. “He was with me.”

With this in mind, Borough Hall will collect information and photos regarding families’ joyful milestones such as weddings, births, and college acceptances, all of which will be compiled into a video to be shown during the memorial. Please send via email to abasile@statenislandusa.com by August 7.

BP Oddo also stressed that all Staten Islanders are welcome at the memorial ceremony, to be held on Friday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 PM at the Postcards Memorial, just steps from the SI Ferry terminal. “This event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our common humanity and unite as one Staten Island community,” he said.